Three Stars and Game in One Picture: CAR @ CBJ

This post is not for the faint of heart.

Trap Game.

Laid an Egg.

Not ready for prime time.

Take your pick. In front of a fairly full Nationwide Arena on a night with all Metro teams in play the Blue Jackets couldn’t find a way to beat the pretty much almost out of it Carolina Hurricanes. I’m gonna divert from our usual format to just reflect on a few things as the playoff run becomes more real than ever before. This post went out on Backhand Shelf today – when I read it, it felt relevant but I couldn’t say just why. Tonight I can. This is about a “great” team versus a “good” team. This is also about development.

We focus a lot on the failings of our youngsters when we talk about development, but another key facet of development is the oft overlooked “learn how to win”. We saw hints of this when the team fell to Philly after building a three goal lead earlier in the season. Great teams not only can win, they know how to win. They drop the hammer. They say, I’m going to beat you, here I am beating you and oh look I just beat you – whether that was hard or not. The fact is we have a team that is learning those lessons still – and that’s OK. Tonight we faced a team that is hungry and wants to play spoiler. We used to do that – now we’re in the spot where we have to be physically, mentally and emotionally prepared to beat that exact team. Things to work on for sure.

The other key principle – the one that linked article lays out – is what a good team has to do to be great. Part of that is being 110% and never losing the killer instinct. Ever. The Jackets are a GOOD team. The Jackets are a team that can make the playoffs. BUT – we still have room to improve. And being anything less than your best, or doing anything less than awesome-particularly in net just doesn’t help a team like the Jackets right this second- stretch run hockey, and playoff hockey is a different thing. Don’t get me wrong, the team is well on it’s way – but even last season, the one point by which the CBJ didn’t make the post-season could have been reclaimed as late as the game against Minnesota (at home) or at Nashville. It wasn’t.

Also – let’s be real – Khudobin was excellent. 46 saves with an eye for the puck like a laser. But goalies like Lundqvist lie ahead in wait…here are your stars. Can’t really argue with these.

3rd Star: Boone Jenner

2nd Star: Andrei Lokionov

1st Star: Anton Khudobin

Game in one picture

Stud: Nope

Dud: See Above Rant

So let’s find out what we’re really building here Jackets fans. After yesterday’s rest period ended, the Jackets only have more than one day rest twice more before the end of the regular season. It doesn’t get any easier. The team travels to Montreal on Thursday and then “welcome” the Rangers to town on Friday. That’s where we see what we have on our hands this year. The Jackets can play a bit more “up and down” hockey and still claim a playoff spot but be prepared to love a special kind of tension and nerves that comes from playoff competition.

Remember – this isn’t a bad thing, but understanding the reality of where this team is is key. Let’s see if the boys in Union Blue can pull it off. I still believe they can.

Carry the Flag.